Karen's meeting with Pasha.

My story actually starts last summer when Ilia Kulik started to skate at
my rink.  There were rumors around that Pasha was living In LA and going
to skate at the rink I skate at.  Ilia was gone alot and we often
wondered when he came back would we see Pasha.  She does this lunge in
You'll see, where she slides on her knee and extends both arms on the
ice with her back ached and I want more then anything to be able to do
that move.  I hoped so much that she would skate at my rink just so I
could get close enough to her to see how she actually did it.

While reading FSW, I read that Pasha now had her own fan board so I went
to look I remember reading that Pasha would read all mail and answer
questions on the board, so I wrote my first post to her asking her if
the rumor was true, was she going to skate at ***** with Ilia and if
so could I watch her do the lunge I so admired.  I got a board reply
from her that said she was not going to skate at ****** but did skate
10 minutes away and  one day she would invite me to meet her.  I was
sure this note was from her publicity agent and remember asking my coach
Bobby if Pasha was skating at any ice rinks around our area, he said yes
and confirmed it was 10 minutes away, at that moment, I started to
believe I had actually started to have conversations with Pasha, not a
webmaster.

These doubts would creep back from time to time, but having faith that
it was her I sent her an e-mail with my story of being an adult skater
who was competing in a ISI world championship that would feel to me like
the Olympics, (note, this is my last competition so it is even more
important) skating has become so costly and my body is getting tired, I
want to just skate for fun after August.  Pasha asked me in a post if
there was anything she could do to help, and I replied that I would love
to have her look at my program and give me some advice on arm movements
and expression.  She responded that she would be happy to, that she was
busy with moving and seeing her family but would set something up.

I entered the rink she was there, She spoke to me first, saying are you
Karen I said Pasha, oh my god, or
something like that.  I was so shocked, SHE IS BEAUTIFUL and looked so
different then on TV, her eyes are the prettiest green.  I stared for a
very long time and I remember she hugged me a few times and I just kept
staring with my mouth open.  After a few minutes we went to put our
skates on.

I got on the ice before her and skated around trying to stretch out
again, when she stepping on the ice the first thing I noticed was her
FAMOUS Lavender skates, I commented on them and we laughed.

We spent a few minutes stroking and warming up and then she asked me if
I could do a twizzle, I was so scared, I had never tried one but told
her I was willing to learn, she showed me how to do a twizzle, she said
I was doing well, I personally think she was being kind, and after some
time she added some arms to it.  I have actually added the arms to my
spin in my world program. After that she asked me what I would like to
do, I said I wanted to see her You'll see Lunge, I did not explain it so
well to her so I had to demonstrate, It was awful but she did know what
I was trying to do at least, she gave me some help with it, and I almost
got it.  I was so thrilled.  I am working on it daily and hope to be
able to surprise her one day and actually do it for her.

We spent time just playing with the music, she would do moves and ask
what I though then she would teach them to me, one of those moves which
I call the balloon actually made it into my program as well.  I
watched her jump and spin and yes, she will do real well as a single
skater.

I did my program for her and she came up with one more piece of
choreography which I now call the bird.  It is at the end of my program
and I love this MOST OF ALL.  It is so dramatic and Pasha.  It was
exactly the type of mood I had hoped she could get me to show.

This all took place over several hours, there was so much I wanted to
talk about so many questions to ask her but I found myself staring and
skating and just being happy.  Looking back it was so relaxed and easy,
you would have though we had done it many times before.

It was finally time to go they were cleaning the ice, we hugged a few
more times I thanked her and stared some more and left the rink the
happiest person on the planet.....

I will never forget the time I spent with Pasha, it is a memory that
will never fade.

When I take the ice at ISI WORLDS, I will smile and remember this
wonderful person, 2 time OLYMPIC ICE DANCE CHAMPION, who took the time
to make a dream come true for an adult fan.

Karen